


Quiet Epiphanies

by dasakuryo



Series: fluttering thrill at the end of our fingertips (blissbirth) [9]
Category: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Everyone Lives/Nobody Dies, Cuddling & Snuggling, F/M, Fluff, Romantic Fluff, Sharing a Bed
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-11
Updated: 2018-01-11
Packaged: 2019-03-03 14:42:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,262
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13343379
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dasakuryo/pseuds/dasakuryo
Summary: Perhaps home has taken on a new meaning.





	Quiet Epiphanies

The swooshing sound started Cassian from his slumber. The sudden adrenaline rush curled his fingers around the durasteel. He blinked, once, twice, staring back into the fainter darkness welcoming him. The soft light illuminating the grey duracrete before him. Fogginess of sleep fading, he clutched the blaster. His finger found the cold familiar curve of the trigger; he sucked in a breath-

The shuffle of heavy, short steps shambling on the duracrete. His fingers loosened their hold around the metal. His whole body went lax again, melting right back into the warmed worn cotton of the sheets. He swallowed a yawn and blinked again, trying to stay awake even though the edges of his vision dimmed and blurred. She was back, safe. The heaviness that had constricted his chest for the past week would fade, along with that crushing uncertainty and fear. Another swoosh and the room plunged back into darkness.

The rasping sound of a zip filled the small space. One thud, followed by another, the ruffle of clothes. A few flops, a heavy sigh. Then the bunk creaked under a new, alien weight. Cassian's eyes fluttered shut, eyelids suddenly too heavy. A hum tickled the back of his throat when he heard the sheets rustling and a gust of colder air swept over his back. His body began to twist when he felt her on his shoulder.

But Jyn stopped him short, whispering a shush in his ear, "go back to sleep."

They couldn't see each other, it wouldn't have made any difference if he turned around. Yet, he wanted to cradle her cheek in his palm when he spoke next, "welcome home."

Jyn answered pressing a kiss to his shoulder, humming softly against his skin. Her breath tickled his ear when she snuggled against him. Her fingers grazed his neck slightly when she dived her hand under the pillow. A contended sigh escaped Cassian when Jyn draped her arm over his chest, the warmth of her palm seeping through his shirt, pulling him closer.

It wasn't long until Jyn slid her hand upwards. He covered her hand with his, held it against his heart. The soft gentle sway of her chest, heaving gently to the rhythm of her breathing against his back, lulled him back to sleep.

* * *

Jyn's mind was in a haze. It hovered between conciousness and sleep, when a swish jolted her back to reality. She grabbed the vibro-blade underneath her pillow out of instinct.  By the time her vision cleared, the door had already slid close; she could only get a glimpse of a profile casting a shadow on the grey duracrete wall.

Then came the shuffling steps, somewhat stealthy and light despite dragging on the floor. She let go of the vibro-blade and let out a sigh of relief. He made it, he made it out alive. He was back. A yawn tugged at her face, but she pushed it down and propped up on her arm, determined to keep the nagging drowsiness from claiming her back. Jyn heard the faint swish of cloth, clinks of metal, the soft plop of clothes meeting the wood of the chair, the thump of his heavy boots on the duracrete.

By the time he reached the bed, she had ended up sinking back into the sheets. The bed sagged under his weight and Jyn shifted, reaching out with her hand, looking for him in the dark. Her hand clasped his arm, squeezing gently. The bunk creaked when Cassian shifted in turn. A warm, gentle and familiar pressure at the top of her head.  Her breath caught in her throat at the gentle graze of his fingers on her skin. His hands blundering around in the darkness seeking her out.

"Welcome home," she whispered, in a slow sleepy voice, when his palm cupped her cheek.

He brushed her cheek with his fingertips and Jyn felt herself leaning on, melting into the tender touch. He pressed another kiss to her forehead then, a more lingering one.

"Go back to sleep," Cassian whispered, stroking her arm.

Jyn leant forward, towards his voice, and curled up against him. Cheek to his chest, arm wrapping around his waist. She could feel his heart thumping beneath, the heat of his body sinking into her bones. Her eyes fluttered shut. Maybe he chuckled, the gentle foggy pull of sleep clouded her senses so she couldn't be sure. The closeness wrapped her up, safe and warm.

She did note his arm wrapping around her in turn, towing her down along with him. A rustle and the fleece itched on her shoulder.  She snuggled closer to him, relished in the delicate touch of his fingers wandering up and down her hip. The steady rise and fall of his chest, made her fall into a deep sleep.

 

Both of them thought about it, but neither of them had ever voiced it.

Cassian dwelled on it in the quiet mornings, while he brushed strands of hair away from the face of an asleep Jyn. A smile would tug at his lips, as if supporting the very idea, every time she stirred at an accidental swift light graze of his fingertips on her cheek. She would sluggishly blink herself awake. The smile pulling at the corner of his lips would spread broad and bright on his face at the loving gaze of her drowsy green eyes. Something would melt and spread warm into his chest when she gave him a slurred good morning. His heart would flutter when she let out a soft hum, scrunching up her face when he kissed the tip of her nose. His palm would find the small of her back and pull her closer. She would duck her head foward to nuzzle her nose with his. His heart would miss a beat when her lips felt his.

Jyn mulled over it amidst the silent mornings, tracing the map of scars on his chest while gazing at his face. She would realise how peaceful he looked.. as if the ghosts which plagued his conciousness had got lost somewhere in the world of dreams, at least for a few moments. Her hand would found its way to his face, catious fingertips brushing along his cheek. He would let out a faint, muffled sound. His eyelids would gave a light flutter, and his face would twitch involuntarily into a little frown, wrinkling his nose.  A giggle would bubble in Jyn's chest. He would come to blinking. The frown still etched to his face, the confusion would vanish when his heavy-eyed gaze met hers. Jyn would let out a soft, short giggle, the corner of his lips would curl at the sound. It would be her turn to smile when he pressed a kiss to her mouth, tender and lingering. He would caress her side. And the laughter would come back, prickling at her throat, when he dragged his head down to pepper her with kisses.  Kisses on her neck, shoulder and back at her face. Jyn would feel herself dissolve in giggles.

Both of them thought about it, but neither of them had ever voiced it. Perhaps home had taken on a new meaning.

Perhaps this was home. A smile, a laugh, arms pulling into a hug, a kiss. Perhaps this was home. Bodies intertwined, heat, skin on skin, feet touching feet. A warm cradle in which the past faded away and the nightmares ebbed away for a while.

Perhaps this was home, a place to laugh away the fear and stitch old and new wounds with love.

 

**Author's Note:**

> I have a soft spot for these two cuddling. There's something so inherently caring and yet vulnerable in such intimacy, that I found so fitting for the whole dynamic of letting their walls down around each other, and letting the other one in, both literally and figuratively. I hope you've enjoyed the story, and thanks a lot for reading! :)


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